William g



(No Model.)

We. HURD. Gait-Coupling T001.

Paterited May 18-, I880.

f v I lr veqrua Wilda Gil/20%.

NITED STATES PATEN Orrrcn.

CAR-COUPLING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,690, dated May 18, 1880.

Application filed April 8, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'W1LLIAM G. HURD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hornellsville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Link-Guides for Car- (louplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved device for raising and guiding the coupling-link into the draw-head of railroad-cars. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the holder for the same, showing it secured to a belt to be fastened around the waist; Fig. 3, a top-plan view of the holder; and Fig. elis a sectional view of the head for detachably connecting thereto the steel rod.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in devices for rais ing and guiding the link into the draw-head while coupling the cars from the outside of the track, thereby removing the necessity of stepping over and between the rails of the track and taking hold of the couplinglink with the hands, which is too frequently attended with danger of being crushed between the cars or other injury to the brakeman or switchman.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the handle, and B the head, to which is connected a steel rod, 0. p

The handle and head may be composed of any suitable metal, the latter being rectangular in cross-section, having four flat sides, a, inclined in a direction toward the vertical axis of the head, or, in other words, inclined in an inward direction from its top, so that when placed in the eorrespondinglyformed holder D it will be held stationary and prevented from turning therein. 1

By this construction the turning around of 5 from the head B and replaced by a ncw mie;

the cost of which would be comparatively trifling. This is considered an important ad vantage in the device, as it is essential to construct the rod of steel, in order that it will not be too heavy and clumsy, and still be stiff enough to raise the coupling-link and support it without the rod bending in guiding the link' into the draw-head of the car.

It is also desirable that the handleA should lie flat against the body of the wearer of the belt, and not turn around and get in the way while the brakeman or switchman is attending to his other work. For this reason the head B and holder D are made in the form shown, which is also considered a very important feature of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The device for coupling cars, consisting of the handle A and head B and the detachable steel rod 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. HURD. Witnesses:

Gno. R. PORTER, H. J. ENNIS. 

